Cloth-guiding machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

.(No Modal.) v J. E. WINDLE. CLOTH GUIDING MACHINE.

Pptented Apr. l5

mum-on, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. E. WINDLE. CLOTH GUIDING' MACHINE.

Patented Apr'. 5, 1892.

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NirED STATES ATENT OEEICE.v

oLoTH-e'ul'Dl-Ne MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,203, dated April 5,1892.

Application nea November 12.1891. serai No. 411,674. (no man.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WINDLE, of Worcester, county of Vorcester,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cloth-GuidingMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures onthe drawings representing like parts.

In cloth finishing, drying, tentering, and kindred machines feedingbelts or chains are provided for feeding the cloth, and in mostinstances said feeding belts or chains carry tenter hooks or spurs. Itis intended that these feeding-chains shall engage the edge of the web,and as the web varies slightly in width and as its line of feed to themachine varies the said feeding-chains must be moved laterally ortransversely to the line of feed or they will release their hold on thecloth or will engage the cloth at some distance from the edge, andthereby injure the cloth. In all instances, so far as I am aware, thesefeeding-chains have been moved transversely to the line of feed by handand require constant watching, as well as very careful manipulation.

This invention has for its object to construct an attachment forcloth-finishing or kindred machines whereby the feeding chains or beltsare moved transversely to the line of feed automatically andindependently of each other.

My invention consists, broadly, in feedingchains for cloth-finishing andkindred machines movable automatically and independently transversely tothe line of feed, and also in certain general forms of construction ofparts whereby the feeding chains may be moved automatically andindependently transversely to the line of feed, which movement iscontrolled by the cloth.

Figurel shows in front elevation an attachment for cloth-finishing andkindred machines embodying this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of theparts shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3, an enlarged cross-section of the partsshown in Fig. 2, taken .on the dotted line x Q0; and Fig. 4, an enlargeddetail to be referred to.

The shaft a, having its bearings in the side frames a a of the machine,has loosely mounted upon it two sprocket-wheels, as 0.2, which aresecured to hubs or collars a3, provided, as shown, with circumferentialgrooves a5. Feeding-chains b n are fed over the sprocket-wheels a2 of,they being herein shown as ordinary sprocket-chains provided at one sidewith tenter-hooks h; n; yet, so far as my invention is concerned, anyother form of feeding-chain may be employed. Links c o are secured atone end to blocksc o and at the other end are formed as yokes to embracethe hubs as, suitable spurs or projections c2 o2 being provided on thearms of the yokes, which enter the circumferential lgrooves a5. Theblocks c o are dovetailed, as shown in Fig. 3, and mounted on andadapted to slide freely on a stationary frame or bar cl, secured at eachend to the side frames ct a. At or near each end ofV the stationaryframe d a suitable support d is erected, which furnishes bearings for arod or bar cl2, to the ends of which are rigidly connected short linkscl3 cl3, the outer ends of which are connected by a rod or bar d4,arranged parallel to the rod or bar d2. The rod or bar d4, which servesas a presser-bar, as will be described, is hence pivotally connected tothe supports d d.

The rod or bar d4 rests upon the extreme edge of two plates e p, whichare secured by screws 2 or otherwise, respectively, to the blocks c o',said plates having curved surfaces, as shown in Fig. 3, and being eachprovided with two parallel slots extending transverselyto the length ofthe plates.

Two feelers f f are pivotally connected to the block c at 4, the upperends of which are provided with a series of teeth, which just protrudethrough the slots in the plate e, and arms 5 are formed integral with orsecured t0 the feelers, which arms are connected by links f2 f3 to oneend of a plate made to represent/and acting as two oppositely-extendedpawls f1 f5, pivoted at f6. As herein represented, the pawl f5 has apost or stud on it, to which both the links f2 f3 are connected. Theplate o is also provided with two feelers having arms, which areconnected by links to a plate made to act as two oppositely-eXtendedpawls, the same as theparts f roo ffzfflf, (shown in Fig. 4,) andconnected to the block c.

A rack-bar g is mounted on the stationary frame (l, which rack-bar isconnected at one end by a crank-arm g to a cranlepin or eccentric studg2 on ashaft g3, carrying a pulley g". As the pulley g'l is revolved therack-bar g is reciprocated longitudinally.

The pawls j4 f5 on each block c o are adapted to engage and disengagethe raf'kbar g, and when in engagement the said rack operates to movethe blocks, and hence the rack, reciprocated continuously, as shown,constitutes a power-driven operating mechanism for moving the blocks,while the pawls and feelers serve as connections between the blocks c oand the rack. The cloth is fed forward over the rod d2 and under the rod(Z4, so that the edges will follow along over the feelers and be engagedby the tenter-hooks or other feeding-chains. Then the edge of the clothengages the feeler f only, the pawls f4 f 5 are held outot engagementwith the reciprocating rack g; but if the edge of the cloth should beworked or moved over onto the feeler f' the pawl f5 will be lifted sohigh as to throw the pawl f'L into engagement with the rack, and as thesaid rack reciprocates the block c will be moved toward the end frame auntil the cloth leaves the feeler f and covers only the feeler f, and ifthe cloth should work or move off of the feeler f the pawl f5 will fallinto engagement with the rack g, and as the said rack reciprocates theblock c will be moved in the opposite direction or away from the endframe c. Hence it will be seen that the feelers are controlled by themoving cloth and serve as the devices which determine when the blocksshall be moved and in which direction. The operation of the feelersconnected to the block o is the same. It will be observed that theblocks c and o are thus moved automatically and entirely independentlyof each other, and the feeding-chains connected therewith will becorrespondingly moved, which movement is transverse to the line of feed.

I do not desire to limit myself to the parin ticular construction shownof the connecting mechanism between the feeding-chains and blocks, norbetween the blocks and powerdriven mechanism; nor, in fact, do I desireto limit my invention to any particular construction by which automaticand independent motion transversely to the line of feed may be given tothe feeding-chains.

I claiml. In a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, a feeding-chain and acarrier which is movable transversely to the line of feed, combined withmechanism to move said carrier transversely and devices controlled bythe cloth which determine when said carrier shall move and in whichdirection, substantially as described.

2. In acloth-tinishing or kindred machine,

a 4feeding-chain, a carrier which is movable transversely to theline offeed, and mechanism to move said carrier, combined with an intermediateconnection controlled by the cloth between said mechanism 'and carrier,substantially as described.

In a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, two feeding-chains, independentcarriers for said chains movable transversely to the line of feed, andmechanism to move said carriers independently, combined withintermediate connections controlled by the cloth between said mechanismand each carrier, substantially as described.

4E. In a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, two feedingchains,independent supports therefor, powerdriven operating mechanismcomprising a reciprocating bar, and independent connections between saidbar and chains to move one or both of them with the bar transversely tothe line of feed, substantially as described.

5. In a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, two feeding-chains,independent carriers therefor movable separately and transversely to theline of feed, and a power-driven mechanism to move the carriers,combined with connections intermediate said mechanism and each carrier,controlled by and partially supporting the cloth, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a clotlrtinishing or kindred machine, a cloth-feeding chain and atransversely-movable blocl, with which said chain is connected, combinedwith a powerdriven operating mechanism and two feelers controlled by thecloth carried by said block intermediate it and the power-drivenoperating mechanism and adapted to automatically engage and disengagethe said power-driven operating mechanism when the cloth contacts withboth or only one of the feelers, substantially as described.

7. In a clotlrnishing or kindred machine, two cloth-feeding chains andblocks with which they are connected, combined with a power-drivenoperating mechanism and two feelers controlled by the cloth and carriedby each block intermediate it and the operating mechanism and adapted toautomatically engage and disengage the said power-driven mechanism whenthe cloth contacts with both or only one of said feelers, respectively,substantially as described.

S. In a cloth-nishing or kindred machine, two feeding-chains, blockswith which they are connected, a cloth-supporting plate on each block,and a presser, combined with power -driven mechanism for moving saidblocks and two feelers carried by each block and controlled by thecloth, which control the connection of the blockswith the power-drivenmechanism, substantially as described.

9. In a cloth-finishing or kindred machine, two cloth-feeding chains andblocks to which they are connected, combined with two feelcrs IOO IIO

carried by each block and controlled by the In testimony whereof I havesigned my cloth, and two oppositely-extended pawls also name to thisspecification in the presence of carried by each block, with which thepair two subscribing Witnesses.

of feelers are connected, and a, reciprocating JOHN E. WINDLE. 5 rackwith which the said pawls (3o-operate Vitnesses:

and by which the blocks are movedJ substan- GEORGE A. DRURY,

tially as described. E. J. SOMERS.

